1. Field of Invention
The subject invention is generally related to safety and surveillance equipment for aircraft and is specifically directed to a wireless data collection and transmission system for commercial aircraft.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Aircraft safety is of ever increasing importance. This is particularly true with respect to commercial airlines as more and more people and freight are moved in this manner. The airways are becoming increasingly crowded with traffic. While air travel is still the safest form of transportation, if the present growth rate continues there will be a fatal accident involving aircraft on a daily basis within the next decade. Therefore, not only is it of critical importance that additional safety precautions be devised and adapted but also that better and more efficient accident reconstruction methods be developed, as well. The effort to reconstruct the cause of the fatal crash of TWA Flight 800 in July, 1996 has exceeded $25,000,000.00.
Electronic systems have already greatly enhanced the safety record of commercial aircraft. Global tracking systems are now in place to monitor the flight of the aircraft from its destination. Radar and global positioning systems are commonplace. All of these electronic systems have increased the ability to track the performance of an aircraft frame the moment it lifts off until it safely lands.
In addition, the on board avionics including electronic monitoring and diagnostic equipment, particularly on large commercial jets, continues to evolve, giving both the on board crew and the tracking station more complete, accurate and up-to-date information regarding the condition of the aircraft while in flight.
Flight recorders long have been incorporated in order to provide a record of each flight and in order to provide critical information to aid in the determination of the causes of an accident or malfunction should one occur. In the prior art systems transducers, sensors and other monitoring equipment, such as by way of example, pressure gauges, temperature sensors and the like are positioned at strategic locations throughout the aircraft for monitoring the operation of these components. The transducers, sensors and other monitoring equipment are hardwired to the on board "black box" data recorders and to various monitoring equipment in the cockpit. While the data collected and transmitted by this equipment provides useful real-time information to the flight crew and is useful in reconstructing the cause and effect of catastrophic incidents, the systems of the prior art have shortcomings reducing the effectiveness of the data.
Typically, the hardwired systems of the prior art will stop collecting data once there has been a structural failure of the airframe or a disruption in aircraft power. This is because the transmission lines of the hardwired system are interrupted, or the power system is either interrupted or the aircraft power source ceases to operate. This precludes the collection and transmission of critical data at the very moment when it is most critical, i.e., at the moment when a catastrophic event occurs.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a data collection and retrieval system that would continue to monitor and collect data after a power interruption or other catastrophic failure. Further it would be desirable to have redundant recordings of the critical data and redundant monitors and capture as well. While such a system would be of great benefit to the airline industry in general and to the commercial airlines in particular, there are no systems currently available which meet these needs.